The weekend’s weather forecasts indicate that both the temperature and humidity will rise to suffocating heights in large parts of the United States over the next few days.
The heat wave, which has already hit Europe and led to hundreds of deaths there, makes clear the threat climate change poses to even the world’s richest countries.
– So far this week we have broken 60 heat records due to the heat that envelops large parts of the country, the US national weather service, National Weather Service (NWS), wrote on Twitter on Thursday.
But the extreme weather does not stop there. This week, even more heat records may fall.
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Up to 43 degrees
Temperatures in large parts of the southwestern United States exceeded 38 degrees Celsius this week, while some places recorded as much as 43 degrees Celsius.
Similar temperatures were also measured in the southern states, where the humidity has increased the discomfort for several thousand inhabitants.
As many as 100 million people received heat-related warnings on Tuesday, and according to the NWS, a “significant portion of the population” will remain under such warnings through the weekend.
sea view
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Emergency alert
It is expected that temperatures will also rise further on the east coast in the next few days, where the humidity is also high.
The capital Washington, as well as Philadelphia, have declared a state of emergency due to the heat, and asked residents to take certain precautions.
– Drink enough water, limit sun exposure and look after your elderly, neighbors and pets, urged Washington Mayor Murel Bowser on Twitter.
Philadelphia’s Public Health Institute also warned people to never leave children and pets unattended in cars in the heat.
Urge:- Slow down
Air conditioning saves the day
The oppressive heat is expected to subside in the south and east of the US next week, but air masses over the Pacific Ocean will still push temperatures above normal.
Unlike much of Western Europe, most American homes have air conditioning, which helps reduce the heat wave’s health risks. Nevertheless, it increases the load on the power grid at a time of high consumption.
In both Texas and New York, residents have been asked to reduce their energy consumption so as not to overload the power grid.
Scientists have warned that heat waves, such as those currently being felt in the US and Europe, will become more frequent and more intense in the coming years due to global warming.
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